Why Can’t The New Pope Be A Woman?

White smoke has finally blown above the Sistine Chapel as bells rang at approximately 7 p.m. local time in Vatican City, signaling the choice for a new pope has been made.Â Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina will now be known as Pope Francis I. He is the first Jesuit and first Latin American to be appointed as pope, both of which are steps away from tradition for the Roman Catholic Church.

But what of other traditions? The prohibition of women being ordained as priests — and thereby disallowing the possibility of a female pope — is one many have been asking about during this papal election. But in 2008, the Vatican decreed that any female seeking ordination (and any bishop who discussed holy orders with a woman) would be excommunicated, thus limiting the number of women who would choose to openly pursue such a title.

“The church has ‘no authority’ to ordain women. The point is not that we are saying we don’t want to, but that we can’t,” he said. This requires obedience by Catholics today, he added.
“This obedience may be arduous in today’s situation, but it is important precisely for the church to show that we are not a regime based on arbitrary rule. We cannot do what we want.”

The pope said there can be no question of discrimination in the church because women perform so many meaningful functions.
“Women have so eminent a significance that in many respects they shape the image of the church more than men do.”

So, despite women being hugely significant, performing “so many meaningful functions,” and though people may “want” to allow women into the priesthood, there is no room for them due to not doctrine, but tradition? ThereÂ must be a question of discrimination whenever one gender is given a privilege by society that is refused to somebody else.

I have no real animosity towards Roman Catholicism, nor any religions — only those who use religion as an excuse to harm others — nor do I feel particularly drawn toward a specific one (including atheism, in case somebody felt like asking). I do, however, feel an incredible draw toward the plights of women all over the world, and I feel that a female pope could potentially expedite the process of ending the sexism and violence women face daily.

Across the globe, there are problems females specifically face at a far higher frequency than men that include, but are not limited to:

Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I believe that a female religious leader of this magnitude could help women all over the world so, so deeply. Globally, we have seen that men in charge often ignore (or are completely ignorantÂ of) women’s health and safety. This is obviously not an all-encompassing rule, but it is impossible to say that proportionally more male than female leaders give a damn about issues facing women. And no, I am absolutely not saying that women’s issues trump men’s issues; I simply wish that, for once, violent, health and monetary issues women face were seen as a huge priority for leaders and citizens across the globe, including the ones not directly affected by it.

Considering there are 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world, I believe that a female pope could not only inspire change in the church’s constituents, but also lead to more people lending their faith and putting leadership in the hands of women. When you can’t tell a little girl she can grow up to be anything she wants to be, because some things are “just for the boys,” she learns that she’s unequal in some way, simply because tradition prohibits her from being on the same level. She may contribute greatly and follow rules, but is not allowed to seek a goal that her male peers can.

Though there has been the long-running myth of “Pope Joan,” who was apparently a “ninth-century Englishwoman who disguised herself under voluminous clerical robes to become a priest, something womenÂ are not allowed to beÂ in the Catholic Church.” This, however, has been dismissed as a myth and some historians, in fact, believe it is detrimental toward the pursuit of a female pope, which many clergy and laity have been pushing for since the 1970s.

When it comes to religion, I understand that tradition is significant in so many ways. But there are billions of women in the world, and their voices must be heard just as much as men’s. Simply because women “performÂ so many meaningful functions” does not mean that not one of the 600 million female Roman Catholics deserves a direct say. There is no such thing as separate but equal; so long as women are disallowed from becoming pope, Roman Catholicism’sÂ hierarchy remains sexist. And until an administration can say it has looked atÂ allÂ qualified, viable contenders — regardless of gender — then it cannot claim to be the best, nor complete.

I think I heard an argument a couple of times that it’s because priests are supposed to be imitators of Christ, who was incarnate in a male body. (Nuns, in a weird, awkward way, refer to themselves as “brides of Christ,” and many even traditionally wore wedding rings)

I’m mostly amazed that there hasn’t been a Pope Francis up ’til now. Come on, Francis of Assisi is one of the most famous saints ever!

http://www.facebook.com/sameurysm Samantha Escobar

I read that while researching this piece, too, and also that priests have to be male because Jesus chose only male disciples. (Also, the brides of Christ thing is a little odd, when you think about it for longer than a second!).

Porkchop

It’s not just that they are stand-ins for Christ, but that they embody the relationship between Christ (a man) and The Church (which is characterized as a woman). Jesus self-identifies as the “bridegroom” of the Church in some gospel… This is the relationship upon which the Church claims all marriage is modeled, which is why they claim they “can’t” allow same sex marriage. They also “can’t” allow women to be ordained, because then the Church would be a lesbian! If they wanted to, they would change the rules.

Kelly

You’re telling me there’s an administration out there with a doctrine that is *wrong*? But that has never happened ever! I find it poor logic to use the traditions of an archaic, spiritually based establishment as just another soapbox, launching point for discussing sexism. While the “sexism and violence women face daily” deserves wide-spread publication surely, topical news or not — while you’re on the subject of gender inequality in religions you DON’T practice, let’s move on! I’m thinking Islam nextâ€¦

http://www.facebook.com/sameurysm Samantha Escobar

Hello Kelly! While this spiritually-based establishment may be archaic, it’s hardly irrelevant considering how many lives it affects daily. And I’m not sure utilizing something that’s relevant to 1.2 billion people to discuss sexism is just a “soapbox.” There are innumerable launching points for discussing sexism; one need not deem some viable while others are off-limits.

Additionally, The Gloss has examine several other religion-related topics regarding sexism, so it’s not as though we’re somehow picking on Catholicism and ignoring others (though I assume you were being patronizing regarding Islam). Today, Roman Catholicism is in the news all over, thus making it more “newsy” at the moment. I’m not sure why you need to practice a religion to discuss it; I, for one, am not involved in politics, but I discuss politicians and their effect on women (as well as men) around the world because it’s relevant. In fact, everyone is allowed to discuss any topic they wish, regardless of their involvement and in the manner of their choosing, provided their information isn’t inaccurate.

Also, hope you’re well and that LA is sunny. Cheers!

MR

I’m not religious, but have used Cathedrals as venues to meditate. In Asia you can drink beer in a buddhist temple, while you’re eating a nice meal when you’re doing it. Latina America has experienced huge population growth, while a large segment of US population growth is Latino. In someways this was a Democratic decision. Biggest mistake the R.C. Church ever made in its Vatican II reform was not allowing priests to marry. Women priests would have also quickly come from this.

Andrew

The apostles of Christ were given all authority, and they exercised it. 1 Corinthians 14:34 is why women cannot be ordained in the Catholic church (or any Christian church for that matter– those that ordain women violate scripture).

Women are just as capable as men to lead- I know many wonderful leaders who are women- but the Apostle Paul had his reasons to restrict women, and our job as Christians is to submit to this teaching. No one said being a Christian is easy… and the bible itself says following Christ is hard!

ScienceGeek

What? Pope Joan was a myth?
But…
Does that mean the story about a special ‘checking’ chair in the Vatican isn’t true either? Because I have very fond memories of a semi-drunk party conversation about Pope Joan and that chair and now it’s a little tarnished.